Hollywood's A-listers sign petition in support of Israel

HOLLYWOOD stars have launched a petition in support of Israel and a peaceful resolution to its conflict with Hamas.

Published 25th August 2014

SUPPORT: Stars including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone have signed the petition [GETTY]

A-list names from Arnold Schwarzenegger to Sylvester Stallone signed a statement saying Hamas “cannot be allowed to rain rockets on Israeli cities, nor ... hold its own people hostage”.

The petition, the largest of its kind in Hollywood, will appear in magazines including Billboard and Variety.

Other signatories include Minnie Driver and Roseanne Barr.

The full letter reads:

We, the undersigned, are saddened by the devastating loss of life endured by Israelis and Palestinians in Gaza. We are pained by the suffering on both sides of the conflict and hope for a solution that brings peace to the region," the letter reads.

While we stand firm in our commitment to peace and justice, we must also stand firm against ideologies of hatred and genocide which are reflected in Hamas' charter, Article 7 of which reads, “There is a Jew hiding behind me, come on and kill him!” The son of a Hamas founder has also commented about the true nature of Hamas.

Hamas cannot be allowed to rain rockets on Israeli cities, nor can it be allowed to hold its own people hostage. Hospitals are for healing, not for hiding weapons. Schools are for learning, not for launching missiles. Children are our hope, not our human shields.

We join together in support of the democratic values we all cherish and in the hope that the healing and transformative power of the arts can be used to build bridges of peace.